Dr. Millkey and her staff provide comprehensive pediatric dentistry to patients from infancy through their teenage years.
Prevention:
From the very first visit we focus on prevention and parent/patient education. Dr. Millkey will examine your child’s mouth, checking to make sure everything is healthy and normal. She will teach you what to expect as far as eruption of new teeth and exfoliation of baby teeth and the growth and development of the oral structures. You will learn how to care for your child’s teeth, as well as how and when to transition towards allowing your child to care for their own teeth and gums. She will also discuss how your child’s diet can impact oral health, including what foods and drinks to avoid in order to prevent cavities.
Every six months, in addition to an examination, Dr. Millkey will clean your child’s teeth, take any necessary radiographs, and apply a fluoride treatment.
Digital Radiographs
At Millkey Way Pediatric Dentistry, we use low-radiation digital dental radiographs as an important diagnostic tool. Dental radiographs allow Dr. Millkey to see and treat problems like tooth decay, infections, orthodontic misalignment, bone injuries, and bone diseases before they worsen. These issues would be difficult (in some cases impossible) to see with the naked eye during a clinical examination.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) approves the use of dental radiographs for diagnostic purposes in children and teenagers. Though dental radiographs are perfectly safe for use on children, the patient will be covered in a lead apron and high-speed digital film is used to reduce radiation exposure as much as possible.
Restorative Services
In the event that your child has dental caries (cavities,) Dr. Millkey will discuss all treatment options with you so that the final treatment plan is one that you fully understand and agree with.
Dr. Millkey performs comprehensive pediatric dentistry including dental sealants, white composite restorations, pulpotomies (nerve treatment on infected baby teeth,) crowns on baby and adult molar teeth, and white crowns on front teeth that have been decayed or fractured. Dr. Millkey performs extraction of severely decayed or infected teeth as well as orthodontic extractions for baby or adult teeth. If indicated, Dr. Millkey can manage space loss of extracted teeth with space maintainers. She fabricates athletic mouth guards, thumb sucking cessation appliances, and night guards. Dr. Millkey is also an expert on managing dental and oral trauma and emergencies.
Nitrous Oxide
To help your child relax and cooperate for restorative procedures, nitrous oxide/oxygen, or what you may know as “laughing gas,” is administered. Nitrous oxide/oxygen is given through a small breathing mask which is placed over the child’s nose, allowing them to relax, but without putting them to sleep. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recognizes this technique as a very safe, effective technique to use for treating children’s dental needs. The gas is mild, easily taken, then with normal breathing, it is quickly eliminated from the body. It is non-addictive and non-allergenic. While inhaling nitrous oxide/oxygen, your child remains fully conscious and maintains all natural reflexes.
Sedation Dentistry
In the event that your child cannot tolerate dental procedures with traditional calming techniques and nitrous oxide/oxygen administration, or if treatment needs are extensive, Dr. Millkey may recommend completing all treatment at one appointment while your child is sedated. IV sedation is performed by a Board Certified Medical Anesthesiologist. IV sedation is the gold standard of safety and has far fewer risks and shorter recovery time than oral sedation or general anesthesia. This is the type of sedation used for short easy procedures like colonoscopies, and you may know it as “twilight sleep.” For more information, please visit www.atlantadentalanesthesia.com.
FAQ
Can I come back with my child?
We invite you to stay with your child during the initial examination. During future appointments, we suggest you allow your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. We can usually establish a closer rapport with your child when you are not present. Our purpose is to gain your child’s confidence and overcome apprehension. However, if you choose, you are more than welcome to accompany your child to the treatment room as a “silent observer”. For the safety of all patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the reception room, and only one adult should accompany your child in the clinical areas.